INSIDE THE NEWS by David Fidelman

PAPAL NEWS: Pope Francis, addressed climate change in a speech in Manilla, saying man was destroying nature and betraying God’s calling to be stewards of creation. “As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to make the earth a beautiful garden for the human family. When we destroy our forests, ravage our soil and pollute our seas, we betray that noble calling,” he said. The American republican response was that there are other popes who would flat out deny those claims and say that deforestation, off-shore oil drilling and defracking are good.
FLYING NUTS NEWS: An executive for Korean Air, pleaded not guilty to violating aviation safety law after being accused of kicking the chief flight attendant off a flight after another crew member offered macadamia nuts in a bag, not on a dish. She admitted pushing an attendant’s shoulder and throwing an object at her, but denied that she poked the hands of chief flight attendant with a book. Lord only knows what may have happened if she had been served a bag of peanuts.
WAY DOWN SOUTH IN UTAH NEWS: Dixie State University in St. George returned “The Rebels” statue to artist Jerry Anderson in exchange for Anderson’s donation of other artwork for permanent display on campus. At issue was his statue depicting a Confederate soldier on horseback helping an injured comrade, with a Confederate flag in hand. The school’s name “Dixie” is a part of local history that should remain, according to local residents. St. George was called “Dixie” by Mormon settlers who tried to turn the mild region into a cotton-growing mecca. We’re left to wonder who they thought would get to pick that white gold – Latter-day Saints?
FORGET THE ALAMO NEWS: George W. Bush called it Sam Houston’s bible. Rick Perry swore on its centuries-old sheepskin four times. And Texas’ latest governor, Greg Abbott is has preserved one of the oldest inaugural traditions in the U.S. by laying his hand on the historic tome to take the oath of office. But archivists now say it’s possible that Texas governors have been duped for centuries. It seems the signature page, now missing, may have read Stan Housmon, an Alamo mule skinner.